Yay! Another exciting chapter of Harvest Moon! This chapter will show the aftermath of the conflicts between Karen, Koji, and Rick. Momo-chan! I hope you get to read this chapter! You're my number one fan! Don't worry people, I'm not getting into Karen and Koji's relationship yet. As of last chapter, if it were the game, Karen's heart outside would be blue, but her heart inside would be orange, but Koji only sees the blue part. I think I may be able to put up another chapter soon! So I hope you enjoy this one! Bad reviews means deletion!

Talking
Thinking/Memories
Important words/Emphasis

Chapter 4: The Blossom of a New Day

The next day, Koji was still at home trying to recover from Rick's blows. He still couldn't believe that a guy like him could actually have the guts to punch him in the face, breaking his nose in the process. After work, he headed straight for the inn for a drink as a celebration for a job well done. He found Cliff and sat right next to him and ordered a cold one.

"What's up Koji? Ouch, what happened?"

"Oh, Rick popped me in the face after he saw Karen and me hanging out."

"Heh… jealousy is a horrible thing…"

Doug came back with two bottles of wine and they both drank it cheerfully. They opened their bottles at the same time and drank it like there's no tomorrow.

"Ahh… that drink made these wounds feel like I never had them at all…"

"That's the miracle of alcohol buddy…"

After ordering another one, Ann walked by and greeted Koji.

"Hey Koji, what happened to your face?"

"Rick slugged me after hanging out with Karen."

"That jerk! I have the mind to slug HIM one!!!"

"Calm down Ann…"

Karen came in and sat next to Koji.

"Hey Koji… are your wounds starting to heal yet?"

"Yeah. I wanna thank you for taking me to the clinic yesterday. I'm still sorry that you had to break up with Rick though… Are you gonna be okay?"

"Don't worry, I'm over him. I'm just glad that he didn't try to kill you… I was so scared back there… I never seen him like that before…"

"He only acted like that because he's just overprotective and too possessive… My parents always said that if you care about someone, you go to the one you care about the most first… you were my first."

Karen blushed but shook it away after Doug gave her a tall drink. She quickly drank it all in one sitting and then she ordered another one.

"Heh… I forgot how much of a heavy drinker you are…"

"When I first tasted wine, I didn't like it. But now I've grown to love it… Sometimes I think that wine on special occasions is romantic… What do you think Koji?"

A cold sweat appeared on her face after seeing that Koji was busy drinking himself silly. He passed out after that and Karen had to take him home. She went home after putting Koji in bed to recover and met up with Rick. Her face went from happy to cold after seeing Rick.

"Hey Karen…"

"What is it that you want Rick?"

"Well-"

"If you wanna get back together with me, then forget about it. You banged up Koji really bad and I'll never forgive you for that."

"But Karen, what does Koji have that I don't?"

"Well, for starters, he actually let me have my own space!"

"I give you your own space!"

Karen sighed in hopelessness.

"…you don't understand Rick… Koji has the qualities of a kind and caring person. Yesterday, I saw the way he handled a newborn fox cub. He was so kind and caring and I just feel so warm by that. Why couldn't you ever be like that Rick?"

"Because I'm not a sissy!"

"Koji's not a sissy! The only sissy I ever met is you! I'm sorry, but I'm not gonna get back together with you Rick… Not after with what you've done… Now if you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to at the shop."

She walked past Rick and he just yelled back at her.

"Give me another chance!!! JUST ONE!!!"

She looked back in fright and ran into the store. Karen went into her house and laid out on her bed. Her mom went in to check up on her.

"Karen? What's wrong?"

"I want Rick to keep away from me… I don't like him anymore…"

"Don't worry Karen… If anything bad happens to you, you can just talk to me, dad, your friends, or Koji…"

"…thanks Mom…"

Meanwhile, Koji just woke up from his hangover and was sitting on his bed watching T.V. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. He opened it and it was Elli and Karen.

"Oh, hey. What's up?"

"We're just here to check up on you. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah no problems."

"Listen Koji, I just wanna talk to you about Rick."

"Umm… sure…"

"Look, I know we had this conversation a lot of times before, but I feel a lot better when I'm talking with you. I think Rick is really starting to get violent between you and me, and well, I just wanna know if there's anything that we can do about this."

Koji looked at the floor and smiled.

"Karen, Rick's gonna continue doing what he's gonna do… there's nothing we can do to stop him… The only thing that matters to me the most is how will this affect our way of life? Now that everyone knows what Rick tried to do to me…"

Karen looked at the floor with Koji while Elli changed Koji's bandage. She thought about it for a long time and answered.

"If Rick's gonna keep doing what he does, I'm worried that Rick might hurt me or even worse, you…"

"Well, I guess we shouldn't worry too much. If you worry too much, then your worst nightmares will come true…"

"…thanks…"

Suddenly, another there was another knock on the door. When Koji opened it, it was Popuri, Ann, Mary, Cliff, Gray, Karen's parents, Zack, and Saibara.

"Hey Koji! Hey Karen! Hey Elli! We came to give Koji some get well gifts."

All of them gave Koji some gifts. Some were wrapped in a box, others were just there. Popuri shoved her gift into Koji's arms.

"Here Koji! This gift says to get well soon and to apologize for what my idiot brother tried to do…"

He opened it and it was a wine set. It had everything from glasses to the ice bucket.

"I know how much you love wine so I got you this. Don't tell Rick though, he might go ballistic if he sees that you got a better gift than what he got when I tried to make him feel better… I thought that you should come first…"

Ann shoved Popuri out of the way and gave Koji her gift.

"Here, it's to go along with the wine set."

He opened it and it was bottle of wine with a pink ribbon on it. Mary's gift was next.

"Here… I made this photo album for you. It has all the pictures from when you first came into town… I hope you get well soon."

"Thanks Mary."

Cliff gave him a spice rack, Gray gave him a wall clock that actually works, Karen's parents gave him some flower seeds, Zack gave him money that pays twice the amount than what he usually receives, and Saibara gave him gold plaque that says "Get well soon. Good health leads to a good life."

"Thanks for the gifts everyone."

Saibara sat next to Koji and gave him some words of wisdom.

"Now, Koji, I think that it's a good time to remember all the wonderful things that you have done here in Mineral Town."

"Saibara, I'm injured not dead."

He laughed and gave him a handshake on getting well soon. Soon after, all of them left. The girls gave Koji a big hug, Cliff, Gray, Zack, and Saibara some handshakes, and a hug from Sasha and a nice pat on the back from Jeff. Elli also left Koji a gift after a hug. She gave him a teddy bear with a bandage on its head. Finally Karen sat down with Koji.

"That's a lot of gifts you received."

"Yeah. I don't think I have enough room to put all this stuff… But it was nice though to have everyone's sympathy."

Suddenly, another knock on the door came. Another visitor? As he opened the door, he found Rick with a box in his hands. The expression on his face was sad and depressing.

"Rick?"

"Rick, what are you doing here? I'm still not getting back together with you…"

"That's not why I'm here… Koji,"

"Hm?"

"Here… I wanna say I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused you. I'm also sorry for being suspicious of you and for breaking your nose."

Koji opened the box and what he received was a get well card with a plaque that says "I know I never officially said this to you before, but Welcome to Mineral Town." and the card says "I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused and I hope this gift can make it up to you."

"Karen, Koji, I know I've been a real jerk lately. And I really hope that you two can forgive me."

Karen looked at Rick and gave him a small hug.

"Rick, I'm sorry I shouted at you. Even though I still can't forgive you for what you did to Koji and that I still don't wanna be back together with you, I just hope that we can still remain friends."

Rick smiled a little.

"That's all I ask."

He gave Karen one final hug and their relationship was officially over. Koji came to give Rick a handshake and after the goodbyes, Rick went home.

"Karen… I hope that Rick can still be able to make the right choices…"

"I hope he will too…"

Before Karen left, she gave Koji a long and warm hug and gave him a box of Moondrop seeds.

"Why are you giving me these?"

"They're my favorite type of flower. If you grow these on your farm, then you'll have honey. Not only that… you'll make me happy…"

He blushed and Karen did too.

"Thanks Karen… I will… you're a true friend…"

"You're… a true friend as well…"

And finally, the troubles between Karen, Koji, and Rick were finally over. But this happiness could not last very long. For what Koji still doesn't know is that there will still be tears, romance, and drama that await him. As summer arrives, Koji's problems are still getting worse.